In manufacturing processes where a rolled product is applied, splicing of a strip or sheet of material from an expiring or unwinding roll to a new strip of material is often required for the process to run smoothly and efficiently. The manufacturing of shingles or other roofing products, for example, involves unrolling a roll of tape material and continuously applying the tape to a moving web. Conventional systems for splicing a new roll to an expiring roll include complex and expensive automatic splicing machinery. Other methods call for slowing down or stopping the web to allow an operator to start the new roll of tape or material when the old one runs out. A further method includes having an operator Start the new roll on the fly, without slowing down the web.
Numerous disadvantages exist in the existing roll splicing systems and methods used to splice tapes in the roofing industry and to splice other types of materials in other manufacturing processes. The complex and expensive splicing machinery often used in many conventional splicing systems includes a large number of moving parts, requiring continuing maintenance and a significant amount of space. Extensive operator intervention is also required to operate such machinery and make sure that the rolls of material are effectively spliced. Improper maintenance or operation of such complex splicing machinery often results in missed splices, causing wasted time and materials. If the spliced material is being used to cover another type of material in a production process, the entire process may have to be shut down to prevent damage to the production machinery and waste of the production materials.
The existing manual splicing systems and methods require more extensive operator intervention. Manual splicing systems and methods that require the whole process to be slowed or stopped completely to effect the splicing of the rolls also significantly slow the manufacturing process. Manual splicing systems in which an operator starts a new roll on the fly can slow the production process and waste material when splices are missed as a result of operator error. Moreover, such extensive reliance on manual operation often results in unnecessary injuries to the operators. In addition, existing splicing systems do not adequately splice materials or products having non-stick or non-adherable surfaces, such as silicone coated surfaces.
Accordingly, what is needed is a roll splicing system and method in which a splice is effected between a new roll of material and an expiring roll of material in a reliable and cost efficient manner regardless of whether the materials include a non-adherable surface. The roll splicing system and method according to the present invention does not require complex and expensive automatic splicing machinery. The roll splicing system and method according to the present invention also requires minimal operator intervention and does not require the rolls or the production process to be stopped or significantly slowed in order to effect the splice.